Babes for Breasts put on show, make people happy, raise money. Yay.

We had such a good time Saturday night. We'll put some pictures and video up on in the next few days, but the IMPORTANT thing is that thanks to generous patrons and generous donors, we and Babes for Breasts were able to raise more than $2300 (net of expenses) for Breast Cancer Action Ottawa.

BCA Ottawa Executive Director Colleen Lyle talked quite movingly about the worthiness of the cause, and our patrons gave mightily. So thanks.

And thanks to Ana, Amanda, Rhonda, and Janine and Paul MacDougall (aka the man-Babe) for a wonderful night of four singer-songwriters with dramatically different writing and performing styles. It truly was a smorgababe. And a special thanks to Ana for all of her work on BFB. Beautiful, smart, talented and dedicated -- what else could you ask for?

And if you're regretting missing the concert, you can get a dose of Janine and Paul at Irene's Pub as they debut the first CD by their project The DoneFors, "How to have sex with Canadians"

A brief pause for this PSA

I try to keep things pretty closely related to house-concert stuff here, but I do need to make a quick digression.

I just discovered a very cool and relatively new place in the city: Umi Cafe. They are, as they describe it:

"a cooperatively run cafe in the heart of Ottawa's china town. We specialize in Fair Trade organic coffee grown by indigenous peasant cooperatives in the South."

They have open-mic nights, film screenings -- it's a bit of a throwback to the legendary coffeehouses of old (think Yellow Door, but on ground-level), combined with new technology and communication and without the clouds of cigarette smoke (which probably means Joni Mitchell will never play there, but...)

They are a small group of people dedicated to principles that are pretty much unassailable. But right now they're in a rough patch. And they need some help.

So if you are in possession of a tenner, a $20-bill, or whatever, why don't you drop by their place (it's the former Chuck Brown Golf store at Somerset and Percy) and buy something, and leave a generous tip. Or check out their events and go to one. Or just give 'em some money. We're going to.

BobCat Bob.

Silent auction items for our BFB show

We've got great silent auction items for the Babes for Breasts show, benefiting Breast Cancer Action Ottawa. Check these out:

This is "Earth Angel: Far beyond the meadow", acrylic on canvas, 10"x 20", by Sue McFadzen.

And this is: "Fundy National Park - A Walk in the Woods", an 8"x10" photographic print by Shane Costantino.

We will also have a seat at one of the vegan gourmet dinners put on by Zen Kitchen, a membership and conference registration from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals, the BobCat basket full of CDs and merch from BobCat artists, and a wine dinner for 8 from Francois Rochon.

This is going to be a funnnn night.

February gets romantic with... Peter Elkas!

Our February concert is one we've been working on for a while and I figured since the artist let the cat out of the bag I better tell you about it!

We are really excited to offer a romantic Valentine's Day concert with the amazing Peter Elkas on Saturday, February 14.

Ron Sexsmith says Peter Elkas "has a wonderfully soulful voice and a great sense of melody that makes me want to write and sing better and try harder.” And who are we to disagree?

After more than a decade with Montreal band the Local Rabbits, Elkas struck out on his own in the early 2000s and hasn't looked back. With two albums, 2004's "Party of One" and 2007's "Wall of Fire", he's found a niche as a performer with stage presence equal to his songwriting, and a great show.

And we think that Peter's soulful vocals and songs will make for a Valentine's Day that nobody will forget anytime soon.

If you don't believe me, check out these videos:







The details:

WHO: An intimate evening with Peter Elkas
WHEN: February 14, 2009. Mingle at 7, show at 8
WHERE: The PlayBob Catsion
214 Northwestern Avenue, Ottawa, K1Y 0M3
HOW MUCH: suggested donation $25; as always, pre-payment by cheque, PayPal or Interac Money Transfer (e-mail bob.ledrew@gmail.com) is appreciated.

For newbies, we also appreciate a donation of non-perishable food for the Ottawa Food Bank. Since this is a house concert, we encourage you to bring something to share foodwise and our concerts are strictly BYOB. Soft drinks are always available.

PS: Don't forget about our January 24 Babes for Breasts show featuring Ana Miura, Amanda Rheaume, Rhonda Stakich and Janine Stoll singing their hearts out and raising funds for Breast Cancer Action Ottawa. We'll have a full basket of CDs and clothing from BobCat performers, a wine dinner for eight with sommelier service, and original art for silent auction as well. Help us raise money to fight a nasty, shitty disease.

m on the side » The Graphic Details — raster vs. vector images (Basic)

The logo for BobCat was designed by the lovely and talented -- and music loving -- Emily Chen(at left, demonstrating one of her many talents). And now, she's used it on her brand new m on the side blog to explain the difference between raster and vector graphics.

In the world of house concerts we're a little on the over-organized side, what with logos and chairs and the like. Lots of presenters just toss cushions on the floor and let things happen as they will. But when Em agreed to do our logo for FREE!! because she loves music and because she's a great person, how can you say no?

If you have graphic design or illustration needs please think of Emily. If she does work this good for free, imagine what she'll do when she's PAID.

Ciao,
Bob.

A BobCat first: Babes For Breasts Fundraiser January 24

Hi folks, and happy new year to all:

Cath and I have been doing normal non-house concert things since our last show. But we've been thinking about 2009's house concert offerings too.

And we wanted to start 2009 with something unique, so here we are: We are hosting a Babes for Breasts fundraising concert on January 24, 2009. Babes for Breasts (BFB) is, according to its creator Ana Miura, a "collective of female singer/songwriters taking on the human side of breast cancer one song at a time."


Since 2003, Ana and her pals have done dozens of shows together. Most recently, a gang of Babes did 20 shows in 26 days, taking them from Saint John, NB to Duncan, BC. And that list of babes has included some of Canada's best singer-songwriters, like BobCat pals Amy Campbell and Meredith Luce as well as women including: NLX: Natasha Alexandra, Emily Fennell, Caridad Cruz, Leela Gilday, Ann Vriend, Tara Holloway, Kay Pettigrew, Sarah Loucks, Jessica Rhaye, Jess Clemons, Jeanette Arsenault, Natasha Pasternak, Jane Lui, Sarah Craig, Shannon Moan, and Q the Romantic Revolutionary.

And the talent for our show is a match for any of those names.

Of course, Ana Miura will be the head babe, as is only fitting. But joining her on stage will be local favorite performer Amanda Rheaume and Toronto's Rhonda Stakich.

For those who don't know these extremely talented women, let me sum them up briefly:

Ana Miura (L) is an award-winning singer-songwriter who has a fluid and impressive guitar style and a wonderful voice. Her writing and her performing benefit from classical training in childhood, and her songs reflect someone who's a keen observer of life and relationships. Her newest CD Mercury Rising is an EP that is a teaser / sampler for her full-length disc due out later this year. Her previous EP Tenacious Heart is in regular rotation in our CD player. Ana performed with Meredith Luce at BobCat in October 2007.


Amanda Rheaume (R) is energy personified. Recently a runner-up in Live 88.5's "Big Money Shot" competition, and the opening act for Finger Eleven at the New Year's Eve celebration on the Rideau Canal, Amanda has become a star here, and seems destined to hit the big time. Her songs are as dynamic as her performances, whether on her own or with her band. And we've had more than one request for Amanda at BobCat!

Rhonda Stakich (L) is a new discovery for us, thanks to BFB and Ana. She describes herself as "an Alberta born, Toronto based singer and songwriter influenced and inspired by dance, drama and old-fashioned ideals. Stakich arrived in the spring of 2001 to Toronto with two guitars and a suitcase full of songs. She immediately teamed up with producer/engineer Nathan Handy to record There Were Years (2002) and Mary Mary (2005) while slowly, steadily winning her way into the hearts and ears of Toronto's live music community."

And we're expecting one more Babe for the show. Stay tuned.

But there's going to be even more than amazing performances to enjoy. This is a FUNDRAISER, after all, and we need your help in making this a great night for Breast Cancer Action Ottawa.

So we've leaned on our friends to provide some great silent auction items for you to check out and bid on over the evening.

First, our musical friends have contributed their CDs to the "BobCat Basket" -- a basket of signed CDs by EVERYONE who's played at BobCat. By the 24th, I expect over 20 CDs to be in the basket.

Our friend Sue Rochon has donated an original oil painting for the show. I'll be posting an image soon.

And our pal François Rochon is donating...himself! François is not only a passionate music lover, but a trained sommelier, instructor at Algonquin College, and a specialist in the art of wine and food matching. So the high bidder will get François's services as sommelier at a wine dinner. You make up a party of eight people, and then François will help you choose a menu. Once the menu's chosen, you make dinner, then François arrives with a selection of wines for everyone and will act as waiter and sommelier for the evening, making for a filling, laughter-filled, and educational dinner experience.

We're doing this for a number of reasons. Like all concerts, we want to bring our friends great music in an intimate environment. But this one is special. Like most people, we've been touched by cancer (I had a case of bladder cancer in 2006), and by breast cancer. My Aunt Florence is a 30-year survivor. And our friend Kim, Francois's wife, passed away from metastatic breast cancer in 2007. If we can do something to help others deal with this miserable disease, and to help stop it from taking people away from us.

So come. Enjoy. And bring your chequebook so that we can send a MAJOR donation to Breast Cancer Action Ottawa.

WHAT: Babes for Breasts show at BobCat
WHO: Ana Miura, Amanda Rheaume, Rhonda Stakich, and another performer to come
WHEN: January 24, 2009, mingle anytime after 6:30, show at 8:00.
SUGGESTED DONATION: This time only, it's a minimum of $30.

See you on the 24th.

BobCat